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Deputation – Week 119

“Daddy’s home!” Do you remember the elation of seeing Daddy arrive after a long day of pestering Mom while Daddy worked? This week “Daddy’s home!” took on a new perspective.

Our week began last Sunday as we visited First Baptist Church of Newark Valley. Pastor Spiegel was out of town, but it was a great day for the church as they had just voted to take on Pastor Ben as the full-time associate pastor. Both Pastor Ben and the church family were excited to announce this. Pastor Ben was our host for the day.

Throughout the day we enjoyed the warm fellowship with the folks of First Baptist. We spent the afternoon with a few of the young adults from the church learning a new game and chatting together.

Monday morning began VBS at our home church in Albion. Emily and Brandon both taught classes, as well as helping with music (Emily) and puppets (Brandon). The first couple nights of VBS went quite well. We had a number of kids from the community who are not regular attenders at any local church. Several expressed interest in coming to our Wednesday night kid’s outreach in the Autumn.

A lot changed on Wednesday. The day started out as many ordinary summer days in Western NY do…warm and sunny. Emily’s Dad, the Pastor at our home church, went off to the office to study first thing in the morning. He got home in the early afternoon, evidently very tired. He walked straight into the house and took a nap on the couch. When he awoke, however, it became quickly evident that there was something wrong. He was unable to speak, and seemed to be having trouble understanding. A trip to the ER confirmed that he had suffered a stroke.

Dad was in the hospital for the next few days while tests were performed to locate the clot which had caused the stroke. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday seemed to turn into something of a routine: early promises that Dad could go home that day, followed by delayed tests and evaluations, followed by another night in the Hospital. It seemed that Sunday would follow that routine as, before noon, that whole cycle had already run its course. However, in early afternoon, as we were driving home from a meeting with a supporting church, we received a text from Emily’s Mom that they were just waiting for the wheelchair! We got home a few minutes before Mom and Dad, and as the car pulled in the house bustled with last-minute preparations and whispered “Dad’s home!” Emily’s brother and his family had come into town and were helping scurry around and get things presentable. It was very good to have Dad home.

Dad’s recovery is going very well. There are very few physical effects from the stroke. His communication has vastly improved, though there is still a road to recovery before him. We will be spending the next few weeks in town helping around the house and filling the pulpit at Victory. Please be praying with us for Dad’s recovery. The Lord was very merciful to Dad and us through this stroke, and we are encouraged at the progress he is making.